The armed man arrested on 25 Hill last week was carrying a rifle he had just stolen, Kern County Sheriff's deputies said.

Michael Dale Hawks, 22, was carrying a high-power rifle equipped with a scope that had been stolen along with some ammunition earlier in the day from a home on the 300 block of D Street, Senior Deputy Kevin George said.

A mental competency hearing has been scheduled for Hawks, who told arresting deputies that “he was on a journey.”

A hearing on the results of the exam will be held in Kern County Superior Court on Oct. 23

He is currently being held without bail for violating his probation as well as charges of burglary, grand theft, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition by a person prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.

Hawks was arrested by Kern County Sheriff's deputies Oct. 28 after they received a report of a man with a rifle near homes on Garfield Avenue in Taft Heights.

Deputies tracked Hawks to a ridge line west of 25 Hill Road and arrested him.

Hawks has several prior arrests

His most recent conviction was less than two months before his arrest Friday.

Kern County Superior Court records show Hawks was arrested for possession of a dirk or dagger on July 23 and on Aug. 2 he was sentenced to 9 months in jail with credit for 29 days time served and good time.

But he was out in less than two months, most likely because of AB109, the prison realignment bill passed a year ago, a law enforcement source told the Taft Midway Driller.

Court records show Hawks was convicted in August 2011 of possession of a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 16 months in jail but received credit for 286 days of actual time served and good behavior.

Page 2 of 2 - Hawks was also convicted of burglary in December 2008 and received a 16-month jail term.